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Saturday, 27 September 2014

I had been looking for a slouch beanie pattern for quite some time. Something soft, fashionable and drapey. The other day I found it .. on my favourite craft blog - ours!
Deb and I spend our days crafting and posting the results to our blog. It's always lovely to see her posts pop up and I can see what she has been doing. One of our recent posts was her 'Shades of Grey Beanie'. It was pretty much exactly what I was after and so simple to make. I had to laugh. My search had proved fruitless whilst Deb was knitting exactly what I was chasing.
I'm in a frenzy of last minute knitting for our honeymoon to New Zealand and I am making hats and cowls to match various items in my wardrobe. The latest project is a sky blue beanie to match a simple cable knit jumper.

Slouch Beanie & Matching Cowl

I scanned the pattern - Deb said that a good substitute for the yarn she used would be a cotton or bamboo blend. BINGO - I had just the right yarn. Debbie Bliss' Prima (80% Bamboo and 20% wool - delightfully drapey).
I used her pattern but modified it ever-so-slightly to included a chunky cable design. I also knitted with 2 balls of yarn at the same time to achieve the chunky look I was after.

Beanie Pattern

Matching Debbie Bliss

Abbreviations:

C3F - transfer 3 stitches to cable needle and hold in front of work. Knit the next 3 stitches and then knit the 3 stitches from the cable needle.

C3B - transfer 3 stitches to cable needle and hold in back of work. Knit the next 3 stitches and then knit the 3 stitches from the cable needle.

Using 8mm needles, cast on 50 stitches.

Row 1: Slip 1, K15, P2, K6, P1, K6, P2, K17

Row 2: Slip 1, K18, P6, K1, P6, K18

Row 3: As row 1

Row 4: As row 2

Row 5: Slip 1, K15, P2, C3F, P1, C3B, P2, K17

Row 6: As row 2

Row 7: As row 1

Row 8: As row 2

Row 9: As row 1

Row 10: As row 2

Row 11: As row 1

Row 12: As row 2

Row 13: As row 1

Row 14: As row 2

Row 15: As row 5

Rows 5-14 make up the cable pattern.

Continue in the cable pattern until work measures approx 48cm from beginning. Cast off loosely.Sew cast off and cast on seam together with right sides facing from one edge until just past the cable pattern. At this point, run a gathering thread along the other edge of the cast on/cast off edge and along the side. Pull the thread so the beanie has a slouch look.

Turn the beanie right way out and then roll up the brim of the hat and secure in place with a stitch or 2 at the back.

Cowl Pattern

Super Simple Serendipity Cowl

Using 2 strands of Debbie Bliss 'Prima' and a set of size 8.00mm circular needles, Cast on 66 stitches.

Knit 5 rows Purl

Knit 5 rows Plain (K)

Repeat 6 times.

Finish with 5 rows Purl and loosely cast off.

Weave in any loose ends and you are good to go.

Happy Knitting,

Louise

If you've been inspired to make or wear a beanie and donate funds to brain cancer research, the following organisations would be thrilled to receive your donation:

Monday, 15 September 2014

Knitlon (also known as Craftlon or Nylon Knitting Ribbon depending on where you live) is one of those products that it's hard to know what to do with. We've been making loom knit flowers and items for fund raising, but I've had a few rolls left over and I decided there must be something else out there other than coat hangers and toilet roll doll covers that would suit a product that reached it's peak in the 70's.

After a fruitless Google search for ideas, it struck me that it could just be the perfect medium for bath scrubbies. It's nylon so dries quickly meaning that a wet soggy mess of yarn isn't going to be left hanging in the shower day after day.

The pattern for bath scrubbies is really very simple and ideal for beginners, once you know how to chain, slip stitch and double crochet.

Pattern:

Using Knitlon in the colour of your choice chain 4, slip stitch into first chain to form circle. I used a 5.5mm crochet hook, but feel free to experiment with different sizes.

Chain 40 to form loop for hanging, slip stitch into circle.

Round 1: Chain 2, Double crochet into circle 40 times (it can be a bit of a squeeze). Slip stitch into first chain 2 to finish round..

Round 2: Chain 2. Double crochet 3 times into each stitch of Round 1. Slip stitch into first chain 2 to finish round.

Round 3: Chain 2. Double crochet 3 times into each stitch of Round 2. Slip stitch into initial chain 2 of this round, bind off leaving a 10cm length of knitlon. Tie 10cm length of Knitlon to centre circle of scrubbie.

I love these for a guest bathroom, or a lovely little treat for a friend. I might just have to go and buy myself some more Knitlon I think!

Monday, 8 September 2014

Don't you love it when you have an idea, pick up some yarn and from the very start the project unfolds easily and the finished item is just as you imagined? This is not one of those times!

I had used what I like to call "Novelty Yarn" once before when I made our Six Percent Whimsy Scarf and so when my daughter required a black scarf or cowl to match her school uniform I had no hesitation in picking up a similar yarn to make this new piece.

Now, the instructions on the label of Petunia Pimpon called for size 10 needles and while I understand that size 10 means different things in different countries, it seemed that no equivalent needle size would work with this yarn to make the pompoms line up. In the end I tried every needle size I owned and then went and purchased a couple more sizes, just to check those as well.

In the end I used a pair of 12 mm needles and cast on 5 stitches, continuing in stocking stitch until I had used one full ball of yarn. I had purchased two balls of yarn, thinking that I may make a scarf and it wasn't until I went to use the second ball that I realised that the problem may have actually been the yarn and not me after all. I know a bad workman always blames his tools, but the two balls of yarn I had were completely different, despite having the same label, and I think I may have started off with the dodgy one...at least that's what I'll keep telling myself every time my daughter wears her new cowl to school!

Monday, 1 September 2014

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There's a brand new shopping centre in Melbourne and it's filled with all sorts of wonderful things. We generally don't head into the city very often, but so far we've managed a gorgeous high tea and a "just looking" tour of the clothing establishments held within.

Now that our youngest teen is very intent on making her own clothes, a "just looking" day is fantastic fun and rather than emptying wallets, we end up with heads filled with inspiration and there's much chatter about fabrics and colours, as well as styles and what patterns we own that would come up with something similar, but still individual enough for her. One thing that really stood out to us on our last day in the city was the number of embellished T-shirts, something that can be easily done at home for very little cost.

Step One
Lay out the beads on the T-shirt in your chosen design and mark each bead's position with tailors chalk.

Step Two
Cut out interfacing to a size that will cover the area to be beaded. We find the interfacing gives some stability to the cotton t-shirt fabric and make it easier to sew. Iron interfacing to the inside of the T-shirt where the beads will sit.

Step ThreeWe found a fabulous youtube video from Ann Dean Frederick which gives really detailed instructions on Sewing a Bead to Fabric. It shows perfectly how to make sure each bead is going to stay in place and how to carry the cotton from one bead to the next with the minimum of fuss.